Chapter 13:

"Janice!" Matt Parkman hurried through the hall toward her. "Janice." She stood outside an office door. He pulled her into his arms and held her tightly. "Janice," he whispered.

"I'm okay," she whispered into his ear. "Are you?" She took a step back and looked at him. "Matt, you look horrible. Tired."

"I'm okay."

"You're not!" She dropped her voice as F.B.I. agents walked past them, giving pondering glances over their shoulders. "Matt." He turned away from the agents to look at her. "What's going on?"

"Nothing."

"Don't lie to me! I'm sorry. I don't mean to yell at you. It's… It's just been crazy here. At least, for the last hour."

"Why? What's going on?" More F.B.I. agents hurried past them. "What's happening?"

"I really don't know."

"It's your fault." An F.B.I. agent glared at Matt. "If we had her, she wouldn't be on the attack right now." He hurried down the hall.

"Matt? Matt, what is it? What did you just hear?"

"Bailey."

"Who?"

"There's this girl… She's like me, but… She could be dangerous."

"Could be dangerous? Matt, what are you talking about?"

"That's why you can't be here, Janice. You can't be in New York City right now especially if Bailey is here. What did Linderman do to her?"

"Linderman? He's involved?" Matt nodded. "Matt, he's dangerous."

"I know, and all this is his doing."

"Matt!" Audrey appeared behind them. "A moment." She glanced at Janice. "Now!"

"Janice?"

"Go. I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"I'll be right back," and he kissed her on the cheek before moving away. "You still need to leave, " he thought to her, but she gave no response as to hearing that thought or not.

"What the hell!" Audrey pulled Matt to the side of the hallway. "What the hell, Matt!"

"Look, Audrey, I don't know what's going on."

"Well, let me break it down to you. Bailey Winters? She's on a rampage. She attacked Corporate Drive. She killed a security guard, and she is somewhere on the top floor of that building. What she's doing there? I couldn't tell you, and I couldn't care. I thought you were handling this, so what the hell happened?"

"Linderman happened."

"Linderman?"

"He took her."

"You've got to be kidding me." She crossed her arms over her chest. "What did he do to her?"

"I wish I knew. He could've killed me. He didn't."

"I don't know, Matt. This isn't going to end well. You do know that, right?" Matt looked over at Janice. "Don't worry about Janice. She's safe here in this building."

"Actually, she's not."

"What does that mean?"

"Sylar's in New York City."

"Sylar! Shit!" A few agents stopped running to look at her. "What! What are you looking at?" They quickly moved away down the hall. "Sylar's here?" Matt nodded. "Where?"

"I don't know, but he's in the city. And you know what that means. Janice can't be here. She has to go home. Now."

"Fine. I'll have an agent escort her to the airport, but that doesn't change anything, Matt."

"I know. I know, Audrey."

"So, you have a choice."

"What choice?"

"Go home with your wife, Matt, and let us handle Bailey. Or?"

"Or what, Audrey?"

"Or I detain you, and we will still handle Bailey."

"No." Audrey reached for her gun. "Look, I won't use my abilities on you, but you need me. You need someone to talk her down."

"There is no talking her down, Matt. Not anymore." She moved her hand away from her holster. "What will it be?"

"I can't go home, Audrey. Not until this is over. I can't." He glanced over at Janice, who watched them intently. "Please. Please." He looked back at Audrey. "Let me be there. I promise that I won't get in the way. Just let me be there." Now, Audrey looked away for a long moment. "You need me. You have to know that." She finally looked at him.

"You will be under my watch the whole time, and if you do anything, Matt… I mean, anything. I will tase you."

"You wouldn't be the first one."

"Go say good-bye to your wife. We're leaving A. ."

"Thank…"

"Don't. Go!"

"Agent Hanson?"

"What!" The young F.B.I. agent snapped back at her tone of voice. He was clutching a cell phone in his hand. "What?"

"Phone call. For you." He held the cell phone out to her. "I could tell them that…" She grabbed the phone from him and placed it to her ear. "Never mind," he said.

"Hello?" She froze. She glanced over at Matt and Janice. "What do you want?" She listened to the voice on the other end. "If I don't?" Her jaw tightened. "Fine, but I don't agree with this or you." She closed the cell phone and handed it back to the young agent. "Anything else?"

"No."

"Good," and she stormed away down the hall.

"Matt?"

"You're going home, Janice."

"But what about you?"

"I have to stay."

"No."

"Janice…"

"Matt, I can't do this anymore. I'm sorry. I can't. If you don't come home with me…" She stepped away from him. "Then, don't come home."

"Janice?" He reached for her.

"No, Matt." She pulled away from him. "No." An agent came down the hall toward them. "My ride's here, so what will it be, Matt?"

"I can't."

"I see." She wiped a few tears aside. "Good-bye, Matt." She moved toward the agent.

"I'm trying to do what's right, Janice."

"By sacrificing us, Matt. Just be careful." She held his stare for a long moment. "Be careful," and she walked away.

"Damn it," he muttered to himself as she disappeared down the hall. "What am I doing?" He slowly moved in the opposite direction. "What if I can't stop her this time?" A knot turned in his stomach. "What if I am too late in saving Bailey Winters?"